Apparatus for separating materials



Sept. 20, 1938. H 5, GERKEN I 2,130,346

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING MATERIALS Filed Sept. 26, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet l Elven/3 0? MSW Sept. 20, 1938. H s. GERKEN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING MATERIALS Filed Sept. 26, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 d 4t m v n W Sept. 29, 1938.

H. S GERKEN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING MATERIALS Filed Sept. 26, 1935 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Sept. 20, 1938 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR. SEPARATING MATERIALS Howard S. Gerken, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application September 26, 1935, Serial No. 42,300

Claims. (01. 209250) This invention relates to certain new and use- Similar characters of reference indicate correful improvements in apparatus for separating sponding parts throughout the several views. and sizing or grading materials, such as sand, In the preferred embodiment of the invention ravel and the like, from waterways. shown in the drawings, the same has been illus- 5 One of its objects is the provision of an efiitrated by way of example as installed on a boat 5' cient apparatus of this character which has been It having bins or hatch-ways ll therein and designed to utilize the water pumped with the equipped with a pump l2 adapted to suck sand, material to effectually control and expeditiously gravel and water from the bed of a lake or other separate sand, gravel and the like as it is pumped body of water, and deliver these materials under from the beds of lakes and rivers, and deliver pressure through a pipe or passage l3 to myim- 10 the materials in a graded and clean condition proved separating unit indicated generally by the to bins or receptacles provided for receiving them. numeral Hi. This separating unit operates to in- Another object of the invention is to provide a tercept and remove, at the beginning of the sepseparating apparatus which is so designed and arating operation, the maximum size of the maconstructed as to first effect the separation of the terial-content pum from the lake-bed, such, 15 desirable positive material-content such as the for example, as the large size stone and gravel, maximum size stone or gravel, from the fines or d d sc ar e it in a comparatively Clean and negative material, such as sand and smaller size de-Watered condition into one of the bins of the stone and gravel, and thence discharge such maxboat, while the remaining Smaller Size materialimum size material at the first stage of the op- C0I1teht fi S 0 undisturbed through the p eration practically free from water and foreign rating t from Which it is thence discharged matter to a receiving bin. for further separation and sizing through one or A further object is the provision of a separatmore similar units arranged in communicating ing apparatus particularly adaptable for use on series, or dumped back into the lake. During the boats equipped to pump the materials to be sepflow of the Water and the solid material-content 25 arated from the bottoms or beds of waterways, throug e Separating t. t letter is which is simple, compact and durable in c0nstruc- S gned as o pr p y and effectually 601111101 the tion, and Whose combination and arrangement f velocity of the water to utilize its resultant power parts is such as to increase to a maximum the to release the intercepted material and carry it tonnage of material handled without increasing along through the Separating t to the point of 30 the capacity of the pumping mechanism and to discharge, the water and smaller size material elfect the material separation without blinding fl wing n a s ra h uninterrupted r e whil or plugging of the apparatus and permit th (18- the desired separated material, such as gravel, sired material to be discharged into th bi or ultimately takes a different course from the water hold of the boat in a de-watered condition. and is s h rged s p r y in a d fl t co 35 A still further object of the invention is the directly t the boat b n.. provision of adjustable means for controlling the As Shown, eXemple, in Figures 1 d th s flow of water through the apparatus to in turn Separating unit ay be disp Over and in govern the efiective separation of the material. municating relation with an inclined flume 40 Other features of the invention reside in the trough which extends lengthwise of the boat 40 Construction and arrangement of parts hereim over its bins H and receives from the separating ft described and particularly pointed out in unit I the water and ungraded or smaller sized the appended claims material-content. If desired, this fiume may be provided in its bottom over the companion bin H g; 2 g f g w d with a plurality of screen decks It which may be g 1 S e e fl Ion 0 my Improve of any suitable and well known construction and separating apparatus showing the same installed which are Shown by dotted lines in Figure 1 and P" Operatlon boat: Flgure 2 is a top Plan by full lines in Figure 6. Any water or material v1ew thereof. Figure 3 1s an enlarged fragmBnnot passing through these screen decks flows on ta yv lone tu c thereof taken substanthrough the flume and is discharged from the 50 t a y 1n t p a f hue Fi ure 4 lower end thereof into a suitable hopper I! and a Cross Section taken on line ig thence is conducted overboard. This flume may Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken substanbe supported over the boat bins by suitable tially on line 5-5, Figure 3. Figure 6 is an enframes I8. 5 larged cross section taken on line 66, Figure 1. A plurality of separating units M may be arcompanion boat-bins.

ranged in series to communicate one with another and thereby separate and grade the material-content as desired and discharge it into For the purposes of this application, however, only one separating unit has been depicted and is disposed over the upper end of the flume IS in substantially parallel relation thereto and may be directly supported thereon and secured thereto by rivets l9 or like fasteners. In its preferred construction, this separating unit is in the form of a conduit or troughlike body, including an inlet-section 26 into which the water and solid material is discharged from the pipe l3 and a communicating separating sizing and discharge section 2| which is substantially box-like in form to provide a Watercourse and is closed on all sides with the exception of a portion along its bottomwhich is left open to communicate directly with the fiume [5 to discharge the water and smaller size material into the same. The front end of the separator-section 2! is preferably closed by a downwardlyinclined wall 22 which deflects and directs any surplus water and minus material-content into the fiume.

Extending lengthwise through the separatorsection 2| from its inlet end to a point preferably short of the end wall 22 and disposed some what below its top side, is an inclined screen deck or separating platform 23 preferably consisting of a substantially rectangular frame 24 and spaced longitudinal screen-bars or rods 25 through which the water and small size material are adapted to pass and over which the intercepted or large size material, such as stone and gravel, is conveyed and dumped into the boat-bin ll immediately beneath the separating unit, This screen deck is so mounted as to be capable of adjustment to vary its inclination to suit different working conditions and materials operated upon, and for this purpose its upper or feed end is preferably hinged at 26, while its lower or front end is provided with a supporting yoke 21 having rows of holes 28 to receive a cross bar or bolt 29 which is adapted to rest upon the top edges of the separator-section 2| in the manner shown in Figure 3 and thereby support the screen deck in a set position of adjustment. Rising from its front end, this screen dock has a combined deflector and separating element 30 which is substantially plow-like or V-shaped in plan with its apex facing the inlet end of the separator-section 2|, as seen in Figures 2, 3 and 5,- and which is preferably composed of a series of vertically spaced screen-bars or rods 3! suitably anchored as a unitary structure with the screen deck 23. The spacing of these bars 35 is the same as that of the bars 25 of the screen deck 23 so as to intercept the maximum size material-content and at the same time permit the water and smaller size material to pass through the combined deflector and separating element and thence find its way into the fiume l5. In its side walls the separator-section 29 has discharge ports or openings 32, these ports being preferably positioned transversely in line with the combined deflector and separating element 30, whereby the desired material impinges against the bars 3! and is deflected laterally and outwardly in a de-watered condition through these ports and thence drops by gravity into the boat-bin ll disposed immediately beneath the separating unit. While this plow-like deflector effects the discharge of the gravel, it does not in any way interfere with the straight through course of the water through the separating unit.

Means are provided in the separating-section 2| of the separating unit for effectually controlling the flow of water therethrough and utilizing the velocity of flow of the water to augment the discharge of the desired material through the ports 32 and also to use the water to efiect the release of any excess load on the screen deck 23 by lifting the gravel or other desired material from the screen deck and propelling it forwardly against the deflector 30. As shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, this water control means is preferably in the form of a vertically-adjustable chute, watercourse or platform 33 disposed beneath the screen deck 23 for adjustment toward and from the same, and including a fixed wall or section 34 secured to the underside of the rear or feed end of the deck-frame 24. This adjustable chute or watercourse is hinged at its rear edge at 35 to the adjoining ends of the fixed wall 34 and adjustment thereof is provided by a yoke 35 rising from said chute adjacent its front end and having rows of openings 31 therein to receive a cross bar or bolt 38 which is adapted to rest upon the top edges of the separator section 2| in the manner shown in Figures 3 and 4. It will also be noted from Figure 3 that the adjustable chute 33, together with the wall 34, constitutes a bottom wall for the separator section 2| and thereby controls the level as well as the velocity or speed of flow of the water in the separating unit, the lower end of the adjustable chute preferably extending somewhat into the adjoining portion of the flume l5 and directing the water and small size material-content into such fiume. By adjusting the pitch or inclination of the water chute 33, the water may be controlled as desired depending upon the number of gallons of water pumped per minute by the pump l2.

Applied to the opposite inner sides of the separator-section 2| rearwardly of its discharge ports 32 are deflector walls or panels 39 which converge forwardly and direct the water and material-content in a substantially central, straight course through the separating unit and by their degree of convergence assist in controlling the velocity of flow of the water. Furthermore, these walls function to direct the water inwardly from the sides of the separator-section adjacent the ports 32 and reduce to a minimum the spilling of water therethrough and into the bin of the boat.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a conduit through which water and solid material are adapted to flow, a screen deck arranged lengthwise of said conduit and having a member rising from one end thereof for intercepting the solid material and. permitting the water to travel on through the conduit, the latter having a discharge port in its side located substantially above the screen deck for the discharge of the intercepted material, a wall disposed beneath the screen deck and adjustable relatively thereto toward and from the same to different inclinations to control the flow of Water through said conduit, and means for adjustably supporting said wall in predetermined positions of inclination relative to the screen deck.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a conduit through which water and solid material are adapted to flow, said conduit having an inlet at one end and a lateral discharge port adjacent its opposite end, means in said conduit between its inlet and discharge port and including a substantially horizontal screen deck and a substantially upright screen deck for separating the larger size material-content from the water and smaller size material-content, the upright screen deck directing the larger material laterally through the discharge port, a flume disposed below said separating means for receiving the water and smaller size material-content introduced into the conduit, means extending generally lengthwise between said separating means and. said fiume and adjustable at different inclinations to the horizontal toward and from the separating means for controlling the flow of water through the conduit to carry the larger size material-content over and release it from the separating means, and means for adjusting the inclination of said water control means.

3. An apparatus for separating solid materials from water, comprising a trough-like body through which the water and materials are adapted to flow and having an inlet at one end and a discharge at its opposite end, upright screening means disposed obliquely of said body for intercepting the larger material and directing I substantially box-like structure adapted for attachment to a fiume and having an inlet at one end for the introduction of Water and material and .a lateral discharge adjacent its opposite end,

screen means disposed lengthwise of said body below said inlet and said discharge for intercepting the larger material and provided at that end thereof adjoining the discharge with a screen-like deflector for directing the larger material through said discharge, said screen means having a pivotal connection at one end to vary its inclination to the horizontal, means for adjustably supporting said screen means in a given position of adjustment, at bottom wall in said box-like structure beneath said screen means and adjustable toward and from the same to different inclinations to the horizontal to control the flow of water and material through the same, and means for adjustably supporting said wall in a given position of adjustment.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a conduit through which water and solid material are adapted to flow, a screen deck arranged lengthwise of said conduit and having a member rising from one end thereof for intercepting the solid material and permitting the water to travel on through the conduit, the latter having a discharge port in its side located substantially above the screen deck for the discharge of the intercepted material, a wall disposed beneath the screen deck and adjustable relatively thereto toward and from the same to different inclinations to control the flow of water through said conduit, means for adjustably supporting said wall in predetermined positions of inclination relative to the screen deck, and deflecting means applied to the opposite sides of said conduit in advance of said material-intercepting member and converging forwardly for directing the Water and material in a substantially straight central course through the conduit.

HOWARD S. GERKEN. 

